One Good Deed (An Archer Novel, 1)

One Good Deed (An Archer Novel, 1)

<b >In this fast-paced historical thriller, #1 <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author David Baldacci introduces Archer, a WWII veteran forced to investigate a small-town murder -- or risk returning to prison.</b><div><b><br></b>It's 1949. When war veteran Aloysius Archer is released from Carderock Prison, he is sent to Poca City on parole with a short list of <i>do</i>'s and a much longer list of <i>don't</i>s: <i>do</i> report regularly to his parole officer, <i>don't </i>go to bars, certainly <i>don't </i>drink alcohol, <i>do</i> get a job--and <i>don't </i>ever associate with loose women.<br><br>The small town quickly proves more complicated and dangerous than Archer's years serving in the war or his time in jail. Within a single night, his search for gainful employment--and a stiff drink--leads him to a local bar, where he is hired for what seems like a simple job: to collect a debt owed to a powerful local businessman, Hank Pittleman.<br><br>Soon Archer discovers that recovering the debt won't be so easy. The indebted man has a furious grudge against Hank and refuses to pay; Hank's clever mistress has her own designs on Archer; and both Hank and Archer's stern parole officer, Miss Crabtree, are keeping a sharp eye on him.<br><br>When a murder takes place right under Archer's nose, police suspicions rise against the ex-convict, and Archer realizes that the crime could send him right back to prison . . . if he doesn't use every skill in his arsenal to track down the real killer. </div>